Gear for steam engines



(ModeL) J. WALRATH.

REVERSI-NG GEAR; FOR STEAM vENGINES. No. 244,777, Patented July 26,1881.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JESSE WALRATH, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO J. I. CASE THRESHING MACHINE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

REVERSING-GEAR FOR STEAM-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 244,777, dated July 26, 1881.

Application filed December 27, 1880.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEssE WALRATH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Racine,

in the county of Racine and State of Wisconmeans of reversinga steam-engine with butone eccentric and without the use of the link-motion commonly employed for that purpose. This is done by moving the eccentric on the shaft to the proper point of lead and lap for the engine to run in either direction, as desired.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the eccentric, showing way of setting and device for moving. Fig. 2 isa vertical section, with the rack for moving eccentric thrown out of gear, as it is when engine is running. Fig. 3 is a perspective view ofthc sleeve alone, showing the lug by which the eccentric is driven and set-screws for securing to en gineshaft. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of hub of eccentric, showing the recess for the lug.

C, Figs. 1 and 2, is the engine-shaft. D, Figs. 2 and 3, is a sleeve bored to fit such shaft and secured thereto by setscrews, e c. This sleeve is turned and the eccentric bored to slip thereon, and has lug fsecurely fastened to it, and

-the position of this lug with reference to the engine-crank determines the setting of the slide-valve. This lug f, being fast to the sleeve D and the latter being secured to the en gineshaft by the set-screws, admits of the eccentric (ModeL) being set with as much exactness as if constructed in the ordinary manner.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 4, h is a recess in the hub of the eccentric for the reception of the lugf, and is of the proper size to admit of the 40 exact movement necessary to a proper rever- $211 of the engine. 6 is a rack, constructed as shown in the drawings, forthe purpose ofmovmg the eccentric. This rack engages with a gear-wheel, G, cast as part of the eccentric in 4 5 one piece. The rack is aportion of a cylinder having the shaft K as a center, and is secured thereto. Shaft K terminates in a handle within reach of the engineer, and moves in boxes m m. The handle or lever can be moved backward or forward, and by turning laterally will move the rack out of gear when the movement of the eccentric has been accomplished, as is shown in Fig. 2.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of the circularly-adjustable eccentric, the gear-wheel fast thereon, and the reciprocating and laterally-movable rack carried on stationary supports.

2. In a steam-engine the combination of sleeve D, lug f, recess h, for the purpose of setting the eccentric and allowingsuflicient movement of the same to reverse the motion of the engine.

JESSE WALRATH. In presence of- CHARLES H. LEE, WM. B. WHARTON. 

